Most vehicles are equipped with bumpers on the front and rear of the vehicle to protect the vehicle in the event of a collision. Decades of research and innovation have yielded improved bumper designs and associated structure to best protect the vehicle by absorbing high amounts of kinetic energy. By absorbing as much of the kinetic energy of the collision as possible, a bumper system reduces the peak deceleration of the vehicle which can help to reduce the likelihood and severity of damage to the vehicle and its occupants.
A typical bumper system includes a bumper beam attached to the forward portion of the vehicle frame. Energy-absorbing components, such as “crush cans,” can be included to connect and maintain a spaced relationship between the bumper beam and the frame. These energy-absorbing components are generally designed to plastically deform or to undergo progressive crush under compression during a collision, bending or buckling to absorb the received kinetic energy.